Development of stable isotope dilution assays for the quantitation of the food odorants hydrogen sulphide, methanethiol, ethanethiol, and propane-1-thiol and application to durian (Durio zibethinus L.) pulp

Jia Xiao Li, Peter Schieberle, Martin Steinhaus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Stable isotope dilution assays were developed for the quantitation of the highly volatile odorants hydrogen sulphide, methanethiol, ethanethiol, and propane-1-thiol using sodium (34S)sulphide, sodium (2H3)methanethiolate, (2H5)ethanethiol, and (2H7)propane-1-thiol as internal standards and 3-buten-2-one as derivatisation reagent. Applying sodium as the reducing agent, sodium (34S)sulphide was synthesised from 34S8 and sodium (2H3)methanethiolate from (2H6)dimethyl sulphide. The analytical approach included homogenisation of the food material with the added standards, derivatisation, solvent extraction, and solvent-assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE). Separate detection of analytes and standards was achieved by two-dimensional heart-cut gas chromatography–mass spectrometry using chemical ionisation and characteristic ions of the derivatives 4,4′-sulphanediyldi-2-butanone, 4-(methylsulphanyl)butan-2-one, 4-(ethylsulphanyl)butan-2-one, and 4-(propylsulphanyl)butan-2-one and their isotopically substituted analogues. Application of the approach to durian pulp resulted in high odour activity values (OAV = concentration/odour threshold) with ethanethiol (OAV 480000) being the most potent odorant, followed by methanethiol (OAV 45000), propane-1-thiol (OAV 6300), and hydrogen sulphide (OAV 330).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)69-79
Number of pages11
JournalEuropean Food Research and Technology
Volume243
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Durio zibethinus
  • Ethanethiol
  • Hydrogen sulphide
  • Methanethiol
  • Propane-1-thiol
  • Stable isotope dilution assay

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